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As a writer, you really need to know what age group you intend to write for. Depending on the age, you may need to censor yourself or glaze over some heavier topics. Think of ATLA and how they never actually stated Jet died but instead insinuated it. Or, in YA novels when characters get close and the narrator skips over the most NSFW parts of the sex scene. 

Disclaimer: Keep in mind I’m writing from my knowledge and what I remember reading at a certain age. Some research has been done for accuracy. I also don’t enjoy adult novels, particularly because they tend to be too much for me (...there tends to be lots of NSFW). With that said, forgive me if the examples aren’t amazing.

Who Do You Want to Write For?

Understanding who you want to write for makes the process much easier. If you want to write horror books for children because there aren’t enough of them, great. You can then proceed to write down your ideas and focus on the scare factor as well as how detailed you want your descriptions to be. Less is more, especially for younger kids. A single sentence in middle-grade horror can disturb even me. And trust me, most things don’t bother me.

Once you know what to write for, you can study your demographic more. By that, I simply mean what people your age are interested in. This isn’t saying you cannot write what you want to for who you want to write it for, but looking at the demographics will get your book(s) out there. For example, children might not enjoy or understand romance but gravitate more to adventure, comedy, slice of life, or superhero stuff. 

What Do These Genres Entail?

You need to know what you’re getting yourself into when you write, so I’m going to give you a shortlist of genres and the content that is appropriate for each. Assuming most aren’t writing for children younger than 5, I won’t include those genres.

Remember to do your own research.

Children (5-8)

Due to childhood development, this genre varies quite a bit. I’ll generalize for simplicity.

Children between the ages of five and eight typically begin to independently read. Development varies, but using simpler language and including pictures aids them in taking in the content and understanding it.

From younger to older children: picture books, comics, short chapter books. It depends on their development and interests as well. 

Even in picture books, these are usually longer than for younger children. They never exceed 100 pages and often have larger fonts.

Characters are usually animals or younger children (some with their parents).

Book examples: Pete the Cat, Poppleton, The Magic Tree House, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Middle Grade (8-12)

Pictures are still relevant sometimes, but it depends on the book. Most kids this age can visualize and don’t need much unless it’s something like fantasy or horror (Coraline has an edition with pictures as well as a disturbing graphic novel).

Slang begins to be included at this age and more mature language. Depending on the book, simple swears like “crap” or “damn” may be used. Insults begin to pop up as jokes and body humor are more appropriate at this age.

Sometimes romance makes its way into these books, but kids these ages still gravitate to things that aren’t so “gross.” 

Middle-Grade books begin to exceed that 100-page mark and chapter book series with a logical plot and/or order comes about. 

Characters are typically human, but supernatural creatures are popular in novels in this age group.

Book examples: Coraline, Ramona’s World, Because of Winn Dixie, Charlotte’s Web, Goosebumps

Young Adult (12-18)

You (typically) won’t catch pictures in a YA book, rather vivid descriptions. The only time pictures are in books is when maps are included. Pictures are an author’s choice.

YA is also a very large genre with varying developmental stages. Some books gravitate more to middle grade, others new adult.

The genres of books boom in YA because so much more can be done. You will catch books that are strictly romance, others crime, and even mystery. 

Swearing is no longer avoided in YA novels. Characters will openly say fuck a thousand times and no one looks twice. 

YA books tend to have deeper conversations than books for younger audiences. Killing off main characters isn’t looked down upon. These books also tend to speak about and represent sex, but never in grave detail. Characters will never get past removing clothing. The issue of sex in YA is also a controversial topic that is pretty interesting when looked into.

The themes of YA books are ones that teenagers typically experience. This could be gender, sexuality, self-worth, etc.

YA books are usually between 200 and 500 pages. It depends on whether it is a novella, stand-alone, or series.

Characters are in middle or high school, to which the readers can relate to. The home and parents are also relevant. Lots of talk about family life and such.

Book Examples: The Fault in Our Stars, The Book Thief, Divergent, The Hunger Games, The Catcher in the Rye

New Adult (18-25)

Once again, pictures are usually maps and such.

NA does everything a YA does in more detail. It’s the genre for people who like YA but want a bit more or don’t want to be held back as much. When your target audience doesn’t involve children, your creative freedom can run (nearly) wild.

Sex scenes are explicit. No one questions a sex scene in a NA, nor censors them in the way YA does. The narrator doesn’t have to glaze over this, rather describing the emotional and physical aspects of it as they would with anything else.

In comparison to YA, NA books tackle different themes. A NA book might not focus on growing up, rather the independence or struggle of having grown up. More adult things such as struggles for housing and finance might arise differently than it would to someone younger watching their parents struggle and going down along with them.

NA books tend to fall in the same page range as YA books. Again, very similar, but not the same. Think of YA as the bridge between YA and Adult. A little more, but not too much.

Characters are typically between the age range of the readers, but they don’t have to be. 

Book Examples: A Court of Thorns and Roses, Lily and the Octopus, Red White and Royal Blue, Code Name: Verity, The Good Girl

Adult (25+)

Keep in mind that I do not read adult books...

I’ve never heard of photos in adult novels. Correct me if I am wrong.

Nothing is really off-limits in adult books. Anything you could ever want to write about can fit in this genre. Period pieces, historical fiction, horror, and autobiographies are often found as adult books.

Pieces are much more complex than those meant for younger audiences such as a YA or NA. They also tackle more difficult topics such as racism and abuse in more mature ways. It’s much easier to cover something like that in a book for older audiences than younger ones because you don’t necessarily have to simplify things. Focusing on the experiences of the character as if it were of coming of age isn’t as important.

The detail in adult books also changes in comparison to books for younger audiences. Whereas violence maybe something quick and easy, an adult book will drag it with vivid details. In Cirque du Freak, a middle-grade novel, the tearing of a person’s arm was described in two sentences in a way that made the reader imagine what an arm tearing would be like. In an adult book, you best be sure you’ll be reading about anatomy and immense amounts of gore.

Adult books can be short or extremely long. It depends on the genre once you hit adult books, as attention span isn’t much of a big deal anymore.

The characters in an adult book can be any age. It’s the content at this point and not who’s reading. An adult book can follow a tween/teen, an adult, or an elderly person. It doesn’t matter. What does matter is how you handle what is happening to certain characters. For example, if your character is a minor, you shouldn’t be writing graphic sex scenes. 

Book Examples: The Help, The Girl on the Train, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Kite Runner, The Shining

Conclusions

I feel like I could write more in this post, but I won’t. It will be much too long if I say anymore. It’s really up to what you like and the way you want to execute it. As a newer reader, I find that I like YA novels but gravitate to the grittier or mature ones. I dislike sex scenes, so the intimacy in YA is just enough for me. 

For my writing, I want to write a NA that can achieve what I like and in the way I enjoy it. In my reading endeavors, these past eight months, the Feverwake duology (my ever mentioned series...) has hit what I enjoy. While it is categorized as YA, the second book leans more toward NA and I love that. The way the author writes is also similar to the way I do, which is cool.

In the end, do what you love. Keep your audience in mind and remember that you don’t have to fit yourself into one genre. James Patterson wrote books for children and adults. Have I read any of his works? No, but I have family and friends who do enjoy or have enjoyed his work. You wanna write a book for your younger sibling? Do it. You want to write a book you need or want? Do it. You want to write a book that will make adults feel like children again? Do it. 

You’re the writer and write for a reason. Keep writing a passion, not a chore.

Flashbacks are some of the most rewarding things to write when you figure it out. I don’t like to include flashbacks very much in my stories, because I think they impede on the flow and structure of my stories, but I do know how beneficial they can be for others. So, after a long stretch of no posts (for no reason), here’s some help.

Understand If You Need One

Not every story needs a flashback. It’s okay to work in the present the entire time. Though, if your story is one that is fast paced or starts in the middle of the story, you might need to bring up old events for your reader to understand. This may be if your character begins to relive a trauma and you want to explain, or if a side character appears and you want to explain their relation to your mc. In the end, the final decision is up to you.

Start a New Chapter

If your book has a lot going on, this is probably the easiest way to do this. You’ll want to end the chapter prior to the flashback on a “cliffhanger” so that there is a proper transition. I’ll give an example:

“The world came crashing down when I saw his face again. What was he doing, and most importantly, how did he get here?” - previous chapter

“[Name] died six months ago. I killed them. There was no way they could be back right now.” - beginning of flashback

At this point, you can head into the flashback. Keep it short, keep it simple.

Hint At It

If you want to add a flashback, you don’t always have to be explicit about it. You can easily sneak something in for added detail and move on as if it were nothing. This is likely easier in the third person, but you won’t have the bias of a character involved, but it can still work. 

A simple line like “We met when we were children,” can lead you into a good conversation.

What to Avoid 

I’ll bullet this, so I hope you still get the point.

Adding dialogue into flashbacks is confusing, avoid it unless you want a challenge.

Action scenes are almost always inappropriate times for a flashback

Too long and you will lose track of the story

Don’t give too much information, reading is a game and collaboration between the author and the reader. 

Conclusions

If you’re bold enough, do it. You should always be challenging yourself when writing or you will never grow. Even if you write short stories or poetry, those are brilliant ways to practice. Always remember, you are your worst critic and will never grow unless you fail.

Now that I’ve returned my little break, I’m back at it with a new writing post! After counting it out, it seems that there will be seven posts in total about personality. After that I’ll be moving onto health. That one shouldn’t take too long and after that there are only four sections left. Those sections are short as well, so I’ll shoot an estimate for 8-10 more posts in this series.

For now, lets work on personality traits.

What Is a Personality Trait?

Verbatim of the University of Saskatchewan:

“Personality traits reflect people's characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.”

What does this mean? In short, it means that a trait your character has is reflected in their lifestyle. For example, if your character is extroverted, to be generic, they may have a louder and brighter personality and be more outgoing. They may strive for interaction and relationships while someone who is an introvert feels less strong about these things and may want to be by themselves or in quiet situations. 

How Do I Go About This?

Now that you’ve done over half of this character sheet, you, for the most part, already know what your character is like. The hardest part is breaking it down in a way you can understand and then relay that to your readers. 

I personally do personality second to many other things so that I guide myself into developing the character rather than jumping in head first. It’s easier to give a character hobbies and understand what they like on this surface, then using those things to guide me in the right direction. This might not be your preferred method, but it is mine. To each their own.

Master Lists

Let’s be honest, there’s only so far one’s vocabulary can be recalled. There have been times in which I know exactly what I want to say but cannot find the correct words to say them. In those cases, referring to long lists or a thesaurus is the way to go.

Thesaurus

Positive Traits

Negative Traits

Neutral Traits

Conclusions

If you’re struggling to come up with an exact personality for your character, that’s alright. It’s almost always the goal to make one’s characters unique, so don’t rush the process. Don’t immediately jump to Mary Sues because you can’t make connections. It’s okay. Take a break and come back to it. You can do the rest of the sheet and finish personality later. That’s the thing about making characters. You start from zero, or with inspiration, and you work your way up. You don’t seem to realize all that you’ve come up with until it’s done. So don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re doing great.

I think there are two posts after this one. I think. I actually have no idea because I stopped keeping track of what’s next after those two. What a tragedy.

ANYWAY, this post will be on hobbies, talents, likes, and dislikes! Get ready for some more links from my bookmarks.

Hobbies

A hobby is anything your character likes to do in their free time. They don’t have to be good at it, they should just enjoy it. Though this isn’t saying they can’t have hobbies they don’t enjoy. I used to play sports and hated every second of it after a certain point. Go right ahead and give them something like that if it works.

When I’m picking a hobby for my characters, I tend to think of their personalities as a whole. Are they a more outgoing or quite person who keeps to themselves? Are they a more visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner? Do they like to do things on their own or as a team? How does competition make them feel?

When I think of these things I like to start off on Wikipedia for a general idea, then do further research if I feel the need to do so. I honestly like using this wiki page because I, for some reason, give my characters similar interests. I have a few characters who are similar to each other for no reason. It isn’t even like they have some similar interests because they’re friends or something, they’re just similar. 

If you have this problem, I suggest checking off everything you’ve used for a character and referencing back when you make new ones. Unless it makes sense, avoid duplicates or give them other things that overshadow those duplicates.

Talents

Talents can be just about anything. This is the section in which you can be the most random. Your character could have a green thumb, fold laundry the fastest, gleek on command, etc. In my opinion, the stranger the better. In middle school I used to tell people I could turn my entire tongue upside down and show them. It was strange, and let’s be honest, I was a clown, but I found people’s “double jointedness” strange too. 

I say it often, but it’s little things like this that make your characters seem real. My friends think I’m crazy because I sometimes know so many things and speak about them as if they actually exist. It’s weird, sure, but if you make others feel as if your characters exist, you’re doing a good job.

Likes and Dislikes

Likes and dislikes don’t necessarily have to be as obscure as talents. You should actually pay attention to these more than the other two because you can weave them into your story and its plot rather well. For example, if your character doesn’t like when people lie, have their closest ally lie to them. It creates tension not only because they were lied to, but because lying is something they really don’t like. Have them feel betrayed. Have them distrust their former ally and ostracize them if they’re part of some sort of group.

I do often come up with my own likes and dislikes if it relates to the plot, but silly ones work too. Not everything has to be serious. This Tumblr post, one I’ve been using for a few years now, has lots of things. There are hobbies as well, so feel free to use it as a second resource for those.

Conclusions

As long as this part of the sheet has been dragged on, I’m glad I did it this way. It leaves me more wiggle room to discuss things in the way I want to. I enjoy personality, no matter how much of a pain it may be, but you might not. You might think these posts are annoying and want to focus on other things. That there’s too much detail in this sheet. Too much filler and nonsense. And that’s okay. I thought the same thing at first. But trust me, once you start, you retain so much information and learn so much. It’s a series events that only reward you. I’ve gotten so many ideas just from filling out one sheet. My procrastination may deny that, but it’s true.

As much as I may love angst, no matter how much it may pain me, it’s not the only thing that’s captivating. I also really love writing relationships of all kinds. I guess I love fluff in general. Whether it be two siblings committing “crimes” at home, best friends, or lovers, it all works for me. Though, in this post, I’ll just be going over romances. 

Develop Your Characters

I like romances, but I have a bone to pick with poorly written ones. This especially applies if a) the characters have no development or b) they barely know each other. Let me speak on the first of those points before I move on to the next. 

When I say development, I really mean having your mc fall in love with an irrelevant side character. If you spent the entire story talking about their relationships with select people, I just can’t wrap my head around why you would suddenly have them in love with someone outside of that group. For me to decide whether or not your character’s choice is good or bad and whether I should embrace the pairing, I need to know your characters well enough. Give them a story together. A story that explains why they’re in love an why I, as the reader, should also love them.

Have Them Bond

For the love of all living creatures, love at first sight is no way to fuel a romance. When someone says love at first sight, they’re speaking about all surface level traits. Their appearance, their voice/the way they speak, etc... All that is great and why many people are attracted to others upon first glace, but it isn’t enough to keep a relationship going. The moment the joy of their partner’s appearance fades away and they’ve become serious about the relationship, what’s making them stay? It’s awful to say, but that’s the truth in real life too. Do your characters actually know each other? Do they know each other’s past? Do they know their hobbies, talents, favorite things? If the answer is no, they probably aren’t in a relationship because they love each other. They’re in a relationship because of lust. 

Avoid Kisses and “I love you”

Hear me out first. I want you to write the entire romance without having your characters kiss or say “I love you.” If you can do that and still convey they’re in love, you’ve done what a lot of people can’t do. You see, writing relationships is not easy. It becomes an entire part of the plot and needs just as much attention as something else. In order to have a successful romance sub plot (I hate this phrase, and will speak more on it later), you need to work on bonds. Using a kiss or simply having them say those three words is such an easy way out and does nothing for your work. It doesn’t give your pairing a story. It doesn’t add depth to your novel. It doesn’t engage the readers. While there is nothing wrong with kisses and verbalizing one’s love, it shouldn’t be all that’s there. 

Find the Happy Medium

Pining is great. You want to have your characters desire each other but not leap in for points a, b, or c. That’s what adds tension to your story and makes your readers want to read on. It’s the perfect solution to love at first sight and instantly eloping. But... it isn’t the permanent solution. If you overdo the pining and leave your readers dissatisfied, no matter how great the events before, they’ll dislike your book. 

Imagine yourself watching the most cheesy (absolutely not) yet entrancing romance on TV. Both characters clearly have a thing for each other all of season one but don’t act on it. In season two they become closer than before and you’re sitting their aching, waiting for them to do something, anything. Then, in the final season, they move away from each other or one get’s in a relationship with someone they used to like/an ex. How dissatisfying is that? 

Conclusions

I think I like angst more because people are typically better at writing it. And I really love romances, I do, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve been satisfied by very few. They’re either cheesy and illogical or done wrong. I’m a really harsh critic when it comes to things like that but that’s the reason why I’ve written this post. I want people to see their mistakes and improve. That’s what we do in life. We grow and learn constantly. And to be honest, my dissatisfaction with others is why I do things. It’s why I write stories. It’s why I educate others on what’s happening in this world. It’s why I can’t just stand by and watch. I guess that’s just some more food for thought. Asking questions and thinking is so important.

Here I am with part two of the personality section in my character sheet. Today we’ll be going over quirks, habits, and mannerisms. 

What Are They?

Quirks, habits, and mannerisms can simply be defined as things someone does without thinking. They may be something they’ve always done or something they picked up from someone else or after seeing it somewhere. Because these words are pretty synonymous, anything you can think of can fit here. 

How Do I Go About This?

In the sheet I typically write out a quirk, lets say they bounce their leg when nervous, and then explain a bit. Here’s an example directly from one of my sheets:

When Luka is alone or feels even the slightest bit safe, he’ll begin to hum. Whatever song comes to his head first is what he’ll hum, often things that remind him of the moment or someone. He understands it can get pretty annoying, but he also feels him singing would be worse. On top of the fact he constantly feels judged, one would be lucky to catch him at peace like that.

I find it easier to remember things when I tell a bit of a story, but you don’t have to. This sheet may be long, but it’s the detail you put into it that can make it even longer. Want to keep it simple? You do you.

Master List

Since there isn’t much to explain, I’ll end this post off with a master list. With a simple search online, you can find more, but these are some things that have come to the top of my head. I definitely suggest to look around you and see what your friends and family do. Steal from real life and no one will notice. That is unless you’ve fallen in love with someone and create an oc just like them. It’s all fun and games until it happens-

ANYWAY

Quirks, Habits, and Mannerisms

Biting their nails when nervous

Constantly moving their hands/playing with things

Standing up instead of sitting when they’re not home

Doodling in the margins of their notes

Staring out of the window (I’m extremely guilty of this one)

Falling asleep to certain things (tv dramas, soft music, someone drawing, etc.)

Always having what someone else needs (the parent friend vibes)

Constantly correcting verbal mistakes others make

Not using credit/debt cards because they have no sense of value and will spend all of their money unless it’s in front of them.

Forgetting what you’ve told them immediately and asking two and three times to repeat what you’ve said

Seeing something cute and being inclined to buy it

Having absolutely no filter

Isolating themselves when upset and only coming out when they’re ready

Thinking they’ve said something but they were actually just thinking about it

Forgetting they’re in public and saying something obscure.

Saying they aren’t hungry and getting hungry as soon as they smell the food, then stealing it from you

Laughing at the wrong times

Living in disorder yet knowing exactly where everything is

Knowing food is probably expired and eating it anyway to “challenge fate”

Getting excited when you ask them about their passions, proceeding to ramble to hours on end (you’re delighted, because you love them, of course)

Being able to accept criticism is so important. I feel that some of the greatest lessons in life, that you’ll learn eventually, are that you aren’t always right and there’s always room for improvement. While these are hard things to learn, once you learn to accept criticism, you’ll be heading in the right direction almost immediately.

Understand Other Points of View

Social media opens up the Pandora’s Box of opinions, and you have to understand that you won’t agree with everyone. With that said, when someone suggests you change something, you have to take into consideration where they’re coming from. For example, if a poc comes to you and tells you something that you’ve written can be worded differently or taken out entirely, believe them. While you may have not seen what you wrote as strange or offensive, trust the groups that come to you. This especially applies if you aren’t apart of said group. In the end, they’re the ones with the experiences. They mean no harm, I promise, and only want to assist you in becoming a better writer. Listening and understanding, whether you agree or not, is key.

Don’t Take It Personally

If you want real advice, people have to be transparent. Your goal when looking for peer reviewers, such as beta readers, is to find people who will be blunt. They need to be able to say exactly how they feel without feeling as if you will attack them for their opinions and observations. Sometimes their words may hurt, especially if you’ve worked so hard on something. But, when someone tells you there’s a plot hole and they’ve lost sight of the meaning, you can’t get upset and defensive. You did your best and you should be proud of yourself. All you must do is take what they’ve said and find a way to fix it. Their words are a challenge. A challenge for you to become a better writer and maybe even a better person in the process. Trust me when I say people who want to help do not intend to harm you.

If You Aren’t Always Right, Neither Are They

Sometimes people leave criticism you don’t care so much for. While you should take criticism and work with it to better yourself and your work, there are times you should avoid it. The number one reason is if they’re being rude, disrespectful and/or demanding, but this is about constructive criticism, not hate comments.

The second of these reasons is if they don’t apply to you. One person on the internet may say you could’ve used a different metaphor, but if you truly love that metaphor and it has meaning in the story, keep it. Just because someone says something doesn’t mean they’re always right, nor does it mean you automatically have to take their advice. You need to keep in mind that they have their own writing style and speech patterns. Think of it like you would a book. There have been many times I’ve liked books less, not because of the content, but because of the style of writing. It’s the same concept. So don’t worry if a comment seems off-putting, but isn’t necessarily negative. (Though, as said before, don’t take everything personally, no one is attacking you.)

Conclusions

I think it’s safe to say that criticism is you friend. You need people to tell you when you’re wrong or when you need to work on things, because sometimes, you just don’t realize. Another view on the same exact things can do wonders. I feel as if this post can also apply to normal life, not just writing. It really is a life lesson. All I say is to do your best and understand that others are doing just the same. We cannot succeed in this world alone.

In this post, I will be briefly going over the first step of personality. Because this is one of the most important parts of a person, I will be spending a good deal of time speaking about it. Each section will, on average, go over three to five different things. Lots of links will be provided at this point, so be sure to create a bookmark folder! 

Disclaimer: None of these things here are perfect representations of one’s personality. Treat these like you would zodiac signs. They should be used as reference and give you assistance into building your character up even further. 

Type

At this point in the sheet, you should have some idea of who you character is as a person. Anything you know about them can help you determine their personality type. I personally use the 16 Personalities (Myers-Briggs) quiz, but you don’t have to. Use everything you know at this point to complete this quiz as if you were your character. There will be questions you aren’t sure how to answer, but make your best judgement in how your character would respond. Below is a little chart to help you understand, in simple terms, the wording of the personalities.

Alignment

Alignment is pretty easy. It doesn’t require too much thought and I’m sure you’ve seen the charts online. Sometimes I use this screenshot to assist me, particularly because I’ve only used alignment for two ocs so far. Unrelated, but I find it funny how I found this on Pinterest over a year ago. It went to two different apps and yet, it’s back on Tumblr. Forgive me OP.

Morals

Out of everything in this post, your character’s morals are the most important. The morals of a person really dictate how they interact with others and the choices that they make. For my mc Niko, family is extremely important to him. Whether it be blood relatives, friends, or even a found family, the things he does really depend on them. For example, if his sister were ever in danger, he would do anything in order to protect her.

If you need examples and a deeper explanation, I feel this site will do the trick.

Temperament

I had never heard of temperament until I created this character sheet. Well, actually, I’d heard the word thrown around and knew what it meant, but I didn’t know the deeper meaning. Similar to how I explained body type, there are basic temperaments that can be combined. The four primary temperaments are choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic, and melancholy. I have a simple chart here for a brief explanation, or you can dig a bit on this site for more.

Enneagram

The first time I heard of the enneagram was when a friend had done theirs. I’ll be very honest, these are extremely detailed and I have absolutely no idea what is going on. I swear that the first time I saw one of these I thought they were a birth chart or something. I clearly can’t wrap my mind around those either, but it is what it is. 

Again, there’s a chart below for a brief explanation. For a more detailed explanation, you can browse through this site and later take this quiz as if your character.

Conclusions

I know my posts are usually more in depth and personal, but I feel I would do you all a disservice explaining it in my own way. I truly hope you are able to find at least some assistance from the sites and charts provided. And, if you’re struggling with anything, drop them. The most important thing would be the morals. Everything else is there to help you develop your characters to the best of your ability. Again, if it’s harming your creative/thought process, don’t do it. 

WIPs are exhausting. No matter how much you love your characters and the story you may or may not have planned, it will eventually become a burden. You’ll feel as if you know every thing about your characters but can’t get a single word on paper. Trust me, I know. That’s the stage I’m in now. 

I’ve written just about everything about them that I can without making a significant dent in the story they belong to. And that’s okay. Burnout happens when you overwork yourself and finally exit the honeymoon phase. 

At this point in time you may want to drop your WIP entirely. While it is a normal feeling, you’ll only feel worse if this is the third story you’ve dropped. That’s why I’m here with this post.

Side WIPs Help You Grow

Having a side WIP will not only provide you with a clean slate, but also a story you can play around with. Try to use a new perspective, try to incorporate a character with a disability for the first time, try to focus on world building. Whatever it may be, use this as your playground. 

You may feel enticed to share this work, and I say, go for it. Let others see what you’ve written and critique you so that you can get better. When you’re ready, take what you’ve learned and bring it to your main WIP. You’ll realize that a scene you once struggled to write has now come to life.

There Are No Boundaries

Write as many cliches as you want. Kill off a character in the middle of the story as you’ve always wanted to and challenge yourself to resolve the issue. Whatever you couldn’t do in your main WIP, for whatever reason that may be, there are tons of opportunities to do it here.

While I do say you should have fun with your side WIP, this isn’t saying your main work isn’t fun. You should write what you would read, but sometimes plots withhold what you actually want. You may want a dragon in your work but can’t seem to figure out a way to incorporate it properly. In your side WIP, it wouldn’t really matter if it didn’t fit. You can just write and write and write and worry about it later (or never). The boundaries don’t exist. It doesn’t need to make sense.

You Can Build Your Characters

This contradicts what I said before, but sometimes it’s not a bad thing to write about your characters. Though, what you need to do is remove them from their world. If your story is a crime novel, take all of your characters and throw them in your typical YA high school or in a distant fantasy land. Keep the stories short, three chapters max, and enjoy yourself. One shots work too.

I have quite a few of these types of stories, most of which I haven’t finished. That’s alright though, because I learned so much about my characters in a matter of two days than I had in months. 

Another suggestion, if you go with this tip, is to write the in between scenes. Whether you’ve realized it or not, there will always be a point in time in which you skip over bits of time. All of these are likely human things such as traveling, eating, and sleeping, etc. Instead of skipping them entirely, create a new document and write those scenes. You’d be surprised how much you’d get out of it.

Conclusions

You can be committed to a WIP without writing about it every single day. It’s okay to take a break from things. Remember, sometimes you need to take break from people to fix broken relationships. The same goes for your writing. If it isn’t working now, take a break, evaluate the situation and learn, then go back and make amends. 

If you’re still feeling down, let’s just say you’ve probably written an entire story in one day and haven’t realized. All you need is a beginning, a middle, and an end. But that’s just some food for thought.

The way someone presents themselves can say a lot about them. This can be how they’re feeling, their level of self esteem, how much they care, etc. I would like to say this isn’t the most important thing to include when creating a character, but it’s worth adding in. Think of little details such presentation being the filler episodes in your favorite television shows. These details might not contribute to the plot, unless you want them to, but they help to develop your characters further.

Body Image

In this section of my sheet, I put how my character views themselves and how other people view them. I feel that if you want to create a character but don’t have a set plot, you should include both. Later on, there will be a section about morals in which you can go more in depth when it comes to how your character views themselves/is viewed. For now, this is good enough.

Make Up and Accessories

I know these two are associated with more feminine things, but please separate the two. There is nothing inherently fem. or masc. about either of the two. You characters could wear make up just because they want to or maybe they have self esteem issues. Maybe they feel they aren’t good enough and need to cover up blemishes. Even still, your character does not have to have a reason to wear make up. Let them wear it just because and don’t be afraid to mention it.

In terms of accessories, that can mean anything that isn’t necessarily the basics. It doesn’t even have to be jewelry. If considered part of the outfit, a backpack can even be considered an accessory. I have quite a few characters that carry around bags of all sorts. And please, don’t be afraid to give your masc characters bags and have your fem characters use their pockets. There are so many options, don’t be afraid to take the opportunity. 

Attire

In an ordinary story, what your character wears might not be as important as in a fantasy story. In an ordinary story, mentioning they wear formal clothing to work may be a subtle way to indicate they work in a place such as an office. Again, this isn’t as serious as it may be in fantasy, since, for the most part, your readers can understand what type of clothing is to be worn where.

For this section I don’t really describe anything. I instead spend time making outfit edits. Typically I’ll do two casual outfits, one formal, one sleep, one work, and one swimwear outfit. If I feel any of those are irrelevant to those characters and their universes, I’ll switch them out for other things. Just keep in mind that you don’t have to do edits. Descriptions of their style and overall aesthetic work just as well!

Misc.

When I say my sheet has everything I mean it has everything. In the presentation section alone, there are also areas for aroma (how they smell), grooming (how they take care of themselves), posture, gait (how they walk), and coordination. These are hyper specific traits that make us all unique. One of your characters might walk super fast while the other walks slow with a slight limp from an injury that never healed properly. 

Conclusions

I’ve already said this, but nothing here has to be important unless you want it to be. Your readers can go the entire story without knowing your character smells like the coconut scented shampoo they use or that they’re insecure about their belly. Sure, they make your character unique, but some authors don’t feel the need to include information as such if it doesn’t impact the plot. i feel the opposite. I believe that the fine details are what make stories great. Show me a scene in which your character does something specific, yet strange. One that makes me laugh and realize how human they actually are. That’s the best part of both reading and writing. Nothing beats seeing characters come alive from the pages in which they live.

This post isn’t entirely writing related, but I feel it can help when it comes to creating content. A small disclaimer here: what works for me may not work for you. Finding the perfect schedule or routine takes a long time. It requires consistency to form habits and will not work for a more spontaneous spirit. Though, it can’t hurt to try.

Keep a Journal

I’ve been trying for years to keep a bullet journal and haven’t been consistent with it until this new year. It was actually apart of one of my goals, and I’m glad I’ve been good with it this entire month.

In my journal I have a monthly calendar I set up at the beginning of every month and weekly spreads every Sunday. In my weekly calendar, I have sections for each day, a weather forecast, meal planning, Book of the Week, and a small notes section. By writing in all of my tasks the night prior and as I get them, I’m able to see exactly how much I get done in a day. This has helped me a lot when it comes to schoolwork, as I do not forget what assignments I need to do and by when. 

In terms of writing, you can have a habit tracker, as do I, in order to see how often you write. You may also write down tasks you wish to achieve and by when. When doing so, don’t stress yourself out over it too much. Be flexible an understand that tasks can be moved, but try not to move it more than twice or it will never get done.

Establish Constants

There are some things that I do nearly every single day that has established some sort of consistency for me. On weekdays I try wake up between 7:30 and 8:00 and I watch at least one episode of an anime I’m currently watching before bet. For a period of time I also did Japanese lessons directly after my last online class, but that’s become difficult to do. 

Regardless, having constants in my life makes me look forward to things and set check points for the day. One other thing that I do, prior to settling down and watching a show, is journal about my day in a notebook separate from my bullet journal. It’s the little things that help.

Having a nightly routine that involves reading or writing may also help, but that isn’t quite the thing for me. Both things make me extremely tired and I tend to forget a lot more when exhausted. Although it doesn’t work for me, it may work for you. Constants in times like these really do help, trust me. 

Be Flexible

The biggest mistake when trying to create a schedule for oneself is being too rigid. Forcing yourself to do things at specific times for specific amounts of time only make you want to do them less. Does that make sense? I’ll give an example. 

Say you wake up at 8:00, eat by 9:00 and get ready for the day by 9:30. If you force yourself to complete those tasks by a certain period of time, you leave little room for error and, well, life. You may have gotten terrible sleep and struggled to get out of bed. You may feel unwell and not want to get dressed today. That’s okay and it is human to feel this way. Don’t make yourself feel too guilty for not following as planned, but don’t stray from what needs to be done just because you’re lazy. Change cannot be seen if you don’t put the effort in. It may be difficult at first, but try to put the effort in before instantly giving up.

Conclusions

This post is a bit ironic in a sense. I haven’t followed my schedule in days, but that’s alright. I’m still getting what I need to get done, and now that I’m worn out from what I’ve strayed from my routine for (Minecraft...), I can gradually make my way back to it. It’s okay to just live sometimes. Even if you’re someone who needs guidance or consistency, a bit of ambiguity and spontaneous decisions adds flare to life. 

Now go get yourself a routine and take care of your mental health. I may not be a hundred percent, but my own schedule has helped me more in these past few weeks than anything I’ve done in the past. My journal, that’s unfortunately on fire from my pen nearly every night, can vouch for me.

Under features, there’s a lot you can tackle. In my character sheet, the section for features only goes over what I’d like to consider the most important things. If you were trying to describe someone based on the way they looked, the things I’ve added here are probably what you’d put. Please note that these will only be physical features. Personality and such will be spoken about at another point in time.

Skin Tone

When describing a character, this should be one of the first things you relay to your reader. The brain, unfortunately, is conditioned to envision white characters. If you don’t specify early enough that your character is a person of color, you’ll throw your readers off.

Describing skin tone is also a touchy topic. Avoid using food to describe skin tone, for everyone’s sake. If you wouldn’t describe a white person’s skin as a “vanilla wafer,” don’t describe a black person’s skin as “dark chocolate.” Writing With Color is a great page here on Tumblr that can help you. 

Hair and Eyes

This would be your second step in describing your characters. It’s something you can slip in when relevant and move on relatively fast. For hair, I tend to describe it when a character plays with their own hair or someone else’s. You’ll want to describe the color, texture, and length when doing so. I don’t suggest doing all at once, for it may confuse the reader, but something like “He combed his hand through his thick black hair in annoyance,” works just fine. 

Describing hair is easier to weave into your writing than are eyes. You don’t want to mention them if there’s no meaning behind it. Do not describe an entire scene set in bright light and say something like “her brown eyes glistened, full of life.” That’s boring, and quite frankly, unnecessary. What is it that you’re telling the reader by saying that? Not much. Now, if you describe one’s eyes while they’re sobbing, that’s powerful. Describe how their face turns red, tears like waterfalls from their puffy eyes as they belt out in pain. 

Markings

You have more than enough opportunities when it comes to markings. Use these things to tell stories. Why does your character have a scar here? From whom/what? Will they encounter who/what did this too them again? Were they made fun of for their skin conditions or attempted to get rid of/hide what makes them unique? 

Off of the top of my head I can list a whole bunch of markings you can give your character. Freckles, moles, birth marks, vitiligo, acne scars, scars with stories behind them (e.g. childhood accidents, surgery...), etc. 

Tattoos and Piercings

You can give your characters tattoos and piercings just because, or for a reason. In my own story, the characters part of a particular group all have the same exact tattoo. There are also many opportunities you have when it comes to body modifications. 

Conclusions

Describing your characters properly and quickly is a hard thing to do. You don’t want to harbor on something, but if you don’t take the opportunities presented to you, you might miss out on something great. Using description to your advantage is something that takes time and patience. You won’t get it right the first time and should be willing to learn. This post is only scratching the surface of what’s out there, so I will be sure to make more posts on the topic. For now, I hope I was able to give some suggestions and help in the slightest.

Me having writer’s block: I’m just like you...

My friend having art block: You’re just like me...

Assess Why You’re Struggling

The first step in finding a solution is assessing why you’re having a creative block. Are you dissatisfied with your work? Do you not have the time or motivation? Maybe it’s just the lack of inspiration. Whatever it may be, I will try my best to give some suggestions. 

Dissatisfaction

Sometimes when you’re writing, you’ll start off strong and randomly feel its terrible at a later point in time. This is normal, as we are our own biggest critic. My suggestion is to stop. Stop viewing all of your work as terrible and listen to what other people are telling you. If your friends enjoy your work, believe them. They wouldn’t lie to you if they’re really your friends.

Now this isn’t saying that in your arsenal of works you don’t have a few that just- don’t work. That’s alright though. Sometimes we as writers take up a project that we aren’t ready to write yet. This might be because you aren’t good at an important skill needed, such as world building in fantasy, or you lose interest. It’s okay to drop works for whatever the reason may be. Do not hold yourself back because you’ve “committed” to something. These WIPs aren’t going anywhere and will be there when you’re ready to come back.

Time and Motivation

This is a tricky one and often the reason why I don’t write as much as I would like to. Often times we need a push, something to motivate us more than our own thoughts. Saying you will do something and actually doing it are two completely different things. If you want to write, you need to set your mind to it. Tell yourself that you are going to sit down and write for a half hour straight, and do it. Give yourself a flexible schedule and set goals. Reward yourselves when you achieve these goals. 

When it comes to time, the only suggestion I have is to make it. Set a block of time how ever many times a week as you wish and write something. This could even be days you write to improve such as using description prompts or expressing things without dialogue. Maybe even get a writing buddy that you can sit with and write. You don’t need to speak with them, but sometimes having someone to work with is a great motivator.

Inspiration

Talk. To. People. I know that speaking about your writing may be hard, or even speaking in general, but it helps so much. Even if your friends are not the creative type, if they know your story and/or your characters, they can provide you with so many good ideas. I speak from experience as a friend of mine recently pulled me from a rut with their ideas.

If you don’t want to talk, consume media. I don’t suggest social media as much because you can get caught up in the endless scroll, but it can help in moderation. Alternatively, you can read or watch shows in your target genre. Maybe even try to reenact scenes you’re struggling with. Go to the environment (or create it) as a way to immerse yourself in the scene.

Conclusions

A creative block, especially writer’s block, will not go away if you just sit around. You need to find something or someone to give you that little push. That does not mean force yourself, because you will grow to hate something you enjoy, but put in the effort. It’s terrible to say, but it’s true. 

And if you’ve hit a block recently, don’t worry. It will be over soon. You will get a boost and be able to create once more, I promise. Just give it some time.

As I mentioned in my last character sheet post, diversity is key. Just as your characters shouldn’t all be Christian, they shouldn’t all be skinny. Now, this isn’t saying one of your characters can’t be a size zero, but the media has more than enough of them. Unfortunately, small waists are the beauty standard. Though, here’s a wake up call: all bodies are beautiful and deserving of shine time. 

Shape

All bodies are different. No two people are exactly the same. Your pants might fit your waist, but are too short and way above your ankles. Your shirts might fit your arms, but they squeeze your stomach. Maybe everything fits but they constantly ride up. These are things you should take into consideration. And pst, your clothes are the ones needing to change, not you.

Words - You can describe these things with words such as slim, pudgy, round, hour glass-shaped, curvy, stout, etc. The thesaurus is your friend here. I suggest word hippo.

Description - Do not use food to describe your characters. If they have a large belly, don’t call it jello. It isn’t jello, and they aren’t food. Same concept as describing skin tone with food. I also emphasize that you do not use illnesses, physical or mental, to describe the reason for one’s shape. If you do it the wrong way, you’ll come off as insulting. These are some things that may possibly deserve their own arcs or need to be slipped in in the perfect way. Be careful is all.

Sex - In terms of sex, male and female bodies differ. Prior to puberty, males and females have similar shapes, though this changes once that occurs. Females have broader and more prominent hips, males often similar but in their shoulders. Though, surgery and genetics can change these things. Biology does not limit appearance.

Type

This section will be much shorter due to the fact there are a three body types. This article may do you some justice. Depending on one’s body type, their shape may vary. It dictates how much muscle and fat you have, where and how fast you may gain/lose weight, etc. These types can be combined because, again, everyone is unique. The three mentioned are just basic. Feel free to experiment and explore the other sections of the site.

Conclusions

Man, I want to see more people like my friends and I in the media. We all look different and deserve to see each other represented. It makes me so happy when I see diverse movies and such, especially ones with properly represented Muslim or queer characters. I have no idea why, but it fills me with so much joy. 

That’s all for now. I hope this helped at least a little bit. Before I go, take a second and show yourself some love. Make sure you’re eating, drinking water, and showering. It may be hard to love yourself for who you are, but I love you. You’re perfect to me =)

Some time back I did a post about character playlists. Today’s post is similar, but instead of for specific characters it’ll be for entire stories. I’ve mentioned time and time again that music is a huge inspiration for me, so this won’t be the last music related post you’ll see. That’s a promise.

What is the Plot?

Now you don’t have to know your exact plot to make this playlist. After all, the playlist is supposed to be something that inspires you to write more and find all those details. Though, knowing a handful about your story will make things easier. If you have a romance plot line, any time you hear a love song, you’ll likely think of your work. For my story, I tend to throw in songs about heartbreak, loss, moving on, etc. There are lots of other happier songs in the playlist, but those are the main themes.

Choose From Your Own Library

When making character playlists I always try to venture out and find new artists or sub-genres. The process is much more tedious, especially because I’m looking for stuff they like and relates to them, not necessarily for my own thought process. Does that make sense? Probably not.

Anyway, I suggest you avoid The Search™ when it comes to story playlists. Maybe shuffle your entire library, or scroll through the work of artists you think will inspire you.

Don’t Limit Yourself

Just because your story is dark and brooding, as an example, does not mean you can’t put electronic songs on your playlist. It doesn’t have to have a particular flow unless you want it to. My brain doesn’t work with perfect order and flow, so my playlist doesn’t either. 

Add, Add, Add...

Whenever you get a thought from a song, no matter how small, add it to your playlist. You will correlate your ideas with the song, for the most part, being able to write the scene at a later point if need be. Don’t be me and forget what song inspired you, struggling to remember just to add it to the playlist. Please, for my fragile heart and soul, don’t be me.

Conclusions

All your playlists are for your own creative process. Add to it whenever you please. Remove songs that no longer hit the same. It’s yours, and it should work for you. 

Hey guys, I’ll be blunt; not every character you have has to be Christian. There are so many other religions out there, which is why we need to see diversity in that essence too. Though, as usual, you need to be well informed to write about these type of things. Not only do you want to avoid stereotypes, but you also want to present these characters in the most respectful way possible.

Use First Hand Accounts

Writing about about religion, for me, follows the same guidelines as would writing about mental illness and the LGBTQ+ community. You should really read first hand accounts from people who actually practice that religion. Even if you are the religion you are writing about, it will do no harm to read about other people’s experiences. You will begin to see patterns whilst educating yourself on the rights and wrongs.

I will use mental illness as an example because it is the easiest for me to explain. If you look up something such as depression, you’ll likely get a WebMD article with a list of symptoms. If you take that and use it in your writing, it will merely sound like a list of symptoms and nothing more. If you use first hand accounts from those suffering through it, you will find yourself writing more realistic and relatable scenes. 

No one cares that they are hyperventilating. They want to feel them hyperventilating, their mind spinning into oblivion and self doubt.

Drop Hints

While you can explicitly state that your character is a particular religion, you can also drop hints in various ways to convey that. Say that they can’t attend a party because they will be attending a place of worship (e.g. Mosque, Church, Temple..) with family that day or that they do not eat a particular dish because it is against their beliefs. 

One of my characters is Muslim and one of the ways I will be expressing this is in a scene where he is being peer pressured to drink alcohol. In doing so I may say something along the lines of “that is against my believes” or “I can’t, but you are free to do as you wish”. If you “drop hints” as I like to do, you may want to give multiple instances to solidify that they practice a particular religion. And please, do not make it seem like what they are is wrong. Your wording is extremely important.

Have Beta Readers

If you are writing about a group that isn’t like you or a marginalized group, you need a diverse group of beta readers. You character is autistic? Find someone who is autistic to read your work. Your character is a POC and Muslim? Find someone who is a POC and Muslim to read your work. Even if you think you said something right, you can never be sure. Having someone from that group to check you is okay and critiques are always needed. You can always do better.

Conclusions

Just be careful when writing. There is no such thing as too much diversity or a character who is too “different”. The more the merrier. My only other suggestions are to avoid stereotypes, do not compare struggles, and do not have token characters. Your character should not JUST be Jewish. They should be Jewish and kind and love to sing and make the best cookies and be allergic to cheese puffs. They are more than the groups they are part of.

Disclaimer: This doesn't mean you have to make every character religious. I suggest hinting for diversity, but you really don't have to make it a plot point or something of that sort. After all, it's your story and I'm just some stranger on the internet.